


cardigan

by ghxstlyscene



Series: folklore (daisy johnson edition) [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Birthday Surprises, F/M, Fluff, Introspection, Post-Season/Series 07, Skye | Daisy Johnson-centric, but before the one year later jump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-12 17:13:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28639074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghxstlyscene/pseuds/ghxstlyscene
Summary: Daisy doesn't want to think about the team going their separate ways. Maybe Daniel can help her see what all she has to look forward to.
Relationships: Skye | Daisy Johnson/Daniel Sousa
Series: folklore (daisy johnson edition) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2058570
Comments: 6
Kudos: 43





	cardigan

**Author's Note:**

> part two of my folklore series!!
> 
> title from "cardigan" by taylor swift

Daisy’s well aware that she’s never been an easy person to love. She has her charm, yes, and she knows that she’s an easy person to like and get along with. The kind of person someone might want to grab drinks with now and then, but never anything past that. She’s not the kind of person someone wants to stick around with and get to know on a deeper level. And the ones that have stayed, death takes them away from her

That doesn’t mean she doesn’t want someone who will stick around for her. But after enough people came and went, be it from betrayal or death, she didn’t think it possible for her to have a partner. Maybe she’s just meant to be alone for the rest of her life. Lonely, but she can manage. She always has.

Then came along Daniel Sousa.

And really, they aren’t even in a relationship - not yet, anyway. They could hardly be considered an item at all. They talked about where they wanted _this_ to go when everything started slowing down, and they agreed to take it slow. They steal moments alone when they can, share playful kisses between conversations, they’ve flirted enough for everyone to notice there’s something else there. But with the team scrambling together information about what’s happened since their time away and settling back into Earth (and in Kora’s and Daniel’s case, adjusting to the twenty-first century), whatever her and Sousa are has to wait in the back burner.

The days bleed together, and despite the worst of the mission being over, there’s still a frenzy surrounding the Lighthouse. Daisy’s spent the first few days in the healing chamber, and by the time Simmons considered her healed enough, Daisy soaked in all the time she could with her team before they all went in different directions. She went over Academy plans with Mack, played with Alya (Jesus, she still can’t believe Fitzsimmons went and had a _kid_ ), introduced modern technology to Daniel and Kora, and milked whatever time she could with Coulson before he decided what he wanted to do.

It couldn’t last forever, though. With promises to keep in contact, the Fitzsimmons family left first to Scotland. Then Coulson left, saying he wanted to take a year to assess and travel the world, and May announced her plans not long after to help build up the Academy. Each person leaving is another weight in her chest, but she doesn’t dare slow down. Even when running out of things to do, she blindly volunteers to do _something_ because she can’t think about everyone splitting up. Leaving her behind. The only she’s ever had.

So she keeps working. Until one day, she wakes and enters the kitchen for a cup of coffee only to see Daniel sitting at one of the tables, smiling nervously with white streaks along his cheeks and jawline. Plopped on the surface in front of him is...a stack of pancakes. Golden, chocolate chip pancakes that are a little burned around the edges, but look good nonetheless.

“Surprise,” he says, and it sounds more like a question than anything.

Daisy just stares blankly. “What?”

“Um, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry, or anything,” Daniel starts, “but Coulson actually told me that today’s your birthday.” He gestures to the pancakes, and Daisy doesn’t realize how hungry she is until the scent hits her. He must have just finished baking it. “And he said you like chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. So, happy birthday.”

She doesn’t know which part of that to answer first.

It’s her birthday - and she’s totally forgotten. Granted, she’s never done anything special to celebrate. Ever since she discovered her real birth date, the most common way she would spend the day is by getting some gift from Mack and Coulson, then continuing the rest of the day as normal. There’s usually always some other alien or Hydra problem that needs everyone’s attention more.

And now there’s Daniel eagerly sitting in front of her, with a meal in front of him that he knows is her favorite. Daniel, who she’s known for maybe a month at most, (Really, time travel makes the exact time period hard to know) was the first one today to wish her a happy birthday.

“...you made that? For me?” she asks, disbelief coloring her tone. She didn’t even remember her own birthday, and -

A blush colors his cheeks. “Yes. Does it look that bad?”

“No!” She rushes out. She blinks at her own voice. “I mean, no,” she continues, softer this time, “it doesn’t look bad at all.”

He still looks unsure, and Daisy curses herself for being so bad at this. “Really, I mean it. It’s…” and now her voice is choked up, and her vision may or may not be going blurry with tears. “I - I didn’t even realize it was my birthday. Thank you.”

Daniel’s brows pinch together, but he doesn’t comment on what she said. “And I hope you don’t mind that I told Kora. She’s really excited, and wanted us to maybe explore the city, and I asked Mack and he told me what your favorite restaurant is in the area and I figured we could go there for dinner. If you want to, of course,” he adds hastily.

Oh god, she’s definitely about to cry now. For the past week she’s done everything she can not to cry. And the reason is Daniel Sousa making her breakfast and planning the whole day for her when she didn’t even remember that today’s her birthday.

His eyes widen in horror when he notices a tear begin the trickle down her cheek. “Or we don’t have to do anything. Really, it’s okay. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset - ”

“I love it,” she cuts him off. She gives him a watery smile as another tear falls. “I - I’m sorry. It’s just - no one’s ever done something like this for me before.”

Relief floods his features, although with some concern still sharpening the edges. “Hey, it’s okay, don’t worry about it. But after everything you went through with Malick, you deserve to use this day to relax, you know?”

She can’t stop herself anymore. She takes the last few steps over to him and presses a firm kiss to his lips. He’s only unresponsive for a second before he stands and winds an arm around her waist.

A giggle bubbling from her chest has them parting, and Daisy smiles at him cheekily. “You taste like chocolate.”

He grins back ruelly. “Yes, well, I _did_ add chocolate chips. Coulson was _very_ specific on that.”

She huffs a laugh and rests her forehead against his. He’s taller than she is, and he has to duck his head to make the position work, but he doesn’t make any motion to move. Like they’re both under a spell they’re afraid to break. “...thank you,” she whispers. “Really, for all this. The pancakes, and planning the day, and just - _everything._ ” For being there when she needed someone while stuck drafting through time. For being someone she _knows_ she can count on no matter what.

He plants a kiss on her cheek. “Hey, it’s no problem,” he murmurs at the same volume. “I just want you to have a good birthday.”

Daisy only woke up thirty minutes ago, and realized it was her birthday _five_ minutes ago, but already it’s been one of the best she’s ever had. “Well,” she starts, pulling back from his embrace and dragging him back to the table, “it’s time to see how good of a chef you are, Danny Boy.” 

Daniel starts dividing the stack - half for her and half for him, and she fondly listens to him ramble on about how his family would always make breakfast for each other’s birthdays. She makes exaggerated noises as she eats through the stack and flicks chocolate chips when he’s looking the other way and they’re both smiling and laughing in between bites. And Daisy knows that there’s still a lot they have to figure out, but she thinks that maybe - just maybe, this one will stay.

**Author's Note:**

> pure fluff no pain my girl needs it <3
> 
> thank you for the lovely responses on the 1! and remember you can find me on tumblr @ghostfox for agents of shield content!


End file.
